Stuck With U

Chapter 21: Elaborate

"Can we do this another time? Or not at all? I'm pretty busy right now"
"Yeah— Yeah for sure, again, I'm sorry for dropping by unannounced"

We exchanged small smiles before he walked off and I shut the door, brushing by Courtney without saying a word. Nevaeh had walked back down to the entrance of the living at the same time I did. Before she could protest, I grabbed her by the shirt and kissed her.

Doug made a vomiting sound and everyone laughed after we pulled away.

"I hate you all" I joked, taking my seat with Nevaeh beside me.

We all sat in my living impatiently waiting for the remaining 10 second countdown to finish.

When my voice was heard for the first time, I tried my best to keep a straight face but feeling Nevaeh's gaze on the side of my face made it hard to hold back a smile.

I lightly smacked her thigh with the back of my hand which made the both of us chuckle. She kissed the side of my forehead and rested her head on my shoulder.

After the clip of me and Toulouse, everyone laughed, Nevaeh laughing harder than others because she walked out of the bathroom during it.

"I'm stuck with you" She said in sync with the song while intertwining our hands.

Towards the end of the song after our note together, everyone's smiles dropped. They instantly looked mine and Nevaeh's direction when Dalton and I's clip played. 

"Wait, is that—"

I felt our hands disconnect and I immediately followed her up the stairs.

She waited at the top of the stairs for me and swung open one of the double doors, revealing what I assumed was her anniversary gift.

"Happy 1 Month anniversary Ariana"

It was a completely built in-home studio with pictures of us on the walls surrounding it. "You talked about it not that long ago and I wanted it to be a surprise after the video showing but here we are"

I watched as tears began to form in her eyes while she stared at the floor in silence. When I stepped closer, she moved back and shook her head, "I fucking knew you were still seeing him"

"I'm not fucking seeing Dalton still, I was never seeing him. I was confused about my feelings at the time but I promise I would never do that to hurt you"

I leaned in to grab her hand but she instantly rejected me.

"Don't touch me Ariana"
"Please tell me you believe me"

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears while she remained silent.

"I didn't authorize that clip to be shown. I sent Scooter the clip of us from when we kissed in the rain"
"Baby I promise"

"Oh you promise? Is that supposed to make everything better?"

"I don't know what else to say Nevaeh, I'm trying here. Do you not believe me?"
"I don't know what to believe Ariana, half the shit that comes from your mouth is lies when it comes to him or your feelings regarding him. I'm tired of getting hurt by you"

She slipped a baby blue hoodie, "I've put my all into this relationship—"

I interrupted her, "This isn't one-sided, I've put my all into this relationship as well. What the fuck?"

"I think we need time apart, again"

My hands rested on my hips while we stared at each other with tilted heads, "I think you're an idiot if you think I'm letting you leave while we're both upset"
"Things are only gonna continue to get worse Ariana, I'm tired of the arguing"
"I am too but it's the only way we're ever gonna get through things unless we talk through them or in your case, ask the questions you need answered directly"

"You want direct? Let's get direct"

She sat down on the bed in front of me and leaned back on her hands.

"Do you or do you not have any feelings toward Dalton whatsoever?"
"Do you really want me to answer that?"

Her eyebrows raised as she looked up at me.

"Yes"

A simple nod and a glance down at the floor was all the response I received.

"—But not in a romantic way anymore, more of like a friendship kind of way?"
"Elaborate"
"I'm with you, I want you, nobody else matters. I know I'm never gonna be with him as long as I have feelings for you so my feelings for him are essentially boxed away"

She cleared her throat, obviously bothered by my response and she had every right to be, "So they could be 'reopened' at any given moment?"

"Not necessarily"
"You'd have to absolutely shatter my heart for me to go back to him"

"So there's a possibility?"

"Of you breaking my heart?"
She looked down toward the ground again then back up to meet my eyes, "Of you going back to him"

I stepped between her spread legs and I squatted down, my hands resting on her knees while I spoke softly to her, "Why are you so concerned with Dalton baby?"

"Because I know how easy it is for you to fall back into your old ways with him, I've watched it happen literally in front of my eyes"
"After you pushed me away"

"It wasn't my fault"

"I never said it was but what about him has you so concerned? I'm not leaving you any time soon, I don't plan to leave you"
"Ever" I added, doing just about anything to make her smile again.

"I have no idea what's got you so insecure about that man but I can promise you, I'm completely sure of everything I feel for you"
She sighed, opening her mouth to speak but the words not coming out, "I just—"
"You what? Talk to me baby"

A heavy sigh followed by an elbow to cover her eyes, Nevaeh finally admitted, "I guess I'm just jealous of what you guys had before me and if the two of you fell for each other as easily back then, it'd be 10x easier now that you two know each other better"

I couldn't help but blink, unsure of what to say in that moment besides, "I love you"